A Usual Day
by ichigo akira
Summary: [ONE-SHOT] [Paul x Natsumi] [Natsumi’s POV] It was just a usual day at the Honky Tonk. I repeat, it was only a usual day...


Gaaaahh... A crazy and mindless idea from me, but PLEASE don't kill me! n.n;; Beware of OOC-ness! Other than that, please do enjoy, nya!

**Disclaimer:** Isn't the fact that I'm _really _poor explains _everything_ to you? n.n

(**Get Backers**) (**A Usual Day**) (**ONE-SHOT**) (**Natsumi's POV**)

Ting! Ting! Two men showed their faces as I heard the bell ringing.

"Ban-san, Gin-chan," I greeted. "Do you want something to drink?"

"You don't have to be that polite to us, Natsumi," Ban muttered.

I shook my head. "No luck today either?"

The chibi-form of Ginji nodded with a sad face. "Yep."

"My, my, I guess you can't pay the bill today, ne..." Paul, popped up from nowhere, said.

Ban cih-ed. "Have that Akabane done something to you? You talk exactly like him."

"Don't turn your anger to someone else, Ban," Paul counseled. "Just because Akabane has job and you don't, doesn't mean you can blame him."

That voice... That tone of voice...

"Natsumi-chan, is something wrong?" Tare-Ginji asked me worriedly.

"Huh... What?"

"You were staring blankly into the air! Are you okay? Do you have a fever? Do you need anything?"

"N-no, No, Gin-chan, I'm fine..." I rejected his offer softly. The blonde, still having an anxious look his face, stared at me for a moment.

"Okay, but if I can help you with anything, just tell me!"

I nodded and smiled. "Yes."

"You know, instead of worrying about her, you should start worrying about _yourself_. We can't eat if we don't get any jobs!" Ban uttered, almost exclaiming. "And that's all because of that dang policewoman!"

"That's okay Ban-san," I spoke. "I can treat you something here until you get money."

Paul shook his head. "No, no, you shouldn't do that. That would make them realize that they have to work harder if they want to eat!"

At this kind of conversation, I would usually say 'That's okay Paul-san, I don't mind helping them.' But today... For no reason... I nodded.

Wow. I couldn't believe my head. It _nodded_?

"PAUL! What have you done to our Natsumi?" Ban growled. "Have you washed her brain or something? She _always _helps us whenever we have problems, and you--you just..."

"I just _what_?" Paul asked coldly.

"You've made her your slave!"

Paul raised an eyebrow. "Whatever do you mean?"

"W-well, there's no other explanation beside that! You've made our sweet, nice, and caring Natsumi your slave!"

"Right," he continued reading newspaper, ignoring all Ban's words. "Natsumi, please get me a glass of water."

"Hai."

"Ah-HAH!" Ban smirked. "See? You just ordered her!"

Paul shook his head in disbelief. "I'm her _boss_. I _should_ be ordering her."

And that was it. Ban was silent and couldn't say anything else.

"Paul-san, your water," I said. He gave me a sign to put it on the table. I did.

And the room was pretty much silent after that. Sometimes I heard the sound of Paul turning his newspapers' page, Ban's mutter, and Ginji's growling stomach.

I wondered. Did the papers Paul-san read _ever_ end? I meant, he always kept turning the page but he didn't seem to stop. And he was--

Paul turned his head to Natsumi. "Why are you looking at me like that? Is there anything on my face?"

I blushed. "N-no, nothing."

I _blushed_! Awesome! I'd never known I could blush because of a man--

Wait, that wasn't right. I_ blushed_ because of a _man_?

"Natsumi-chan, your face is obviously red..." Ginji said with a worried look. "Do you really feel okay?"

"Y-yes, I'm fine..."

"AHHHHHHHHHH!" suddenly Ban shouted.

"Excuse me?"

"Nothing, Natsumi-_chan_," Ban said sweetly. "Oh my dear, I just can't imagine my grandma's face when I tell her I can't send her any money!"

Paul stared at him with half moon eyes. "But your grandmother has already _died_."

"No, no, not that one! I'm talking about my grandma from my mom!"

Paul placed his right hand on his forehead. "Can't you think of better reasons so Natsumi would gladly lend you some money?"

Ban looked nervous. "I--I wasn't making reasons!"

"Yeah, right."

Ban groaned and walked to Paul. "Why can't you leave us alone?"

"And give my poor Natsumi to you? No way."

I was startled at 'my (poor) Natsumi' part.

"She's not yours!" Tare-Ginji jumped to Paul. "Natsumi-chan is _ours_!"

I couldn't really get the rest of the arguing, but I was pretty sure my name was said a lot of times. I tried to stop them a couple of times, but they didn't seem to listen to me.

"Stop it, the three of you!" I finally exclaimed. And they all fell silent.

Finally Ban started speaking, "Well, Natsumi-_chan_, just answer our very, very simple question: Do you take our side or his side?"

Now, that was hard.

"Ummm... Well... Basically, I work here, so I should be on his side."

I didn't say something wrong, did I? Yet, the blonde get backer seemed to have some tears on his eyes.

"N-no, Gin-chan, I feel happy around you two, too, but the fact that I work for him, well... Makes me have to take his side."

Well, I could just say 'I'm on both sides!', but why all of a sudden I want to say that I'm on _Paul's_ side?

"Natsumi... That dang man has really done something to you, hasn't he?" Ban asked with anger as he looked at Paul.

"It's not that! I really, really happy with you too! But I just _have_ to be onhis side!"

"Do you hate us?" the chibi-form of the ex-Raitei started crying.

"No, no! I love you, both of you! Gin-chan, don't cry!" I smiled as sweet as I could. "I mean it."

"Really?" his bad mood seemed to have lightened up.

"Yes. About what side I'm on... That doesn't really matter, does it?"

He shook his head. I beamed.

"Okay, who wants pizza? My treat!"

"ME!" Ban and Ginji chorused.

While placing pizza on Ban and Ginji's table, I took a peek to Paul.

He was smiling. He was smiling _at me_.

I couldn't help myself to smile back. My face turned a bit pink.

Well, maybe I _could _blush because of a man...

(**Owari**)

o.O; That was longer than I expected... I still think something's missing... Oh well, please tell me what you think:)


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